Claire Madden on The Today Show Channel 9: Australian Cities Compared
Claire Madden recently chatted to Jayne and Charles on Channel 9's Today Show about how various Australian cities rate on a range of indicators.
A new tool launched by the Federal government, the National Cities Performance Framework, allows us to see data from Australia's 21 largest cities (plus Western Sydney). With this data, we are able to compare cities on a number of indicators including jobs and skills, housing and infrastructure, liveability and innovation and planning. It's hoped that this tool will better equip government, industry and communities to improve our cities. So what can we see from the data?
Sydney has the worst traffic
The data confirmed what Sydneysiders know too well - peak hour traffic in Sydney adds 68% to the duration of a car trip, and just 58% of Sydneysiders can drive to work within half an hour. This is the nation's worst score, followed by Melbourne, where peak hour adds 57% to commuters' travel times.
Toowoomba has the highest obesity rate, Perth the lowest
The highest obesity rates were recorded in Toowoomba at 36.3%, with the lowest rates found in Perth, at 23%. Given the impact obesity can have on a person's quality of life, other health outcomes, as well as the strain it puts on public health systems, hopefully this tool will motivate decision-makers learn from cities like Perth about how certain characteristics of a city might help to lower obesity rates.
Sydney and Melbourne lead the way in life expectancy
Perhaps to make up for the time spent in traffic, the good news for Sydney and Melbourne residents is that they have the highest life expectancy which is 83.7 at birth. This is almost 3 years longer than those born in Albury Wodonga (80.8).
Ballarat our friendliest city, Australia a friendly nation
Ballarat topped the list with 96% saying they felt they could get help outside their household - from a friend, relative or support service - in a time of crisis. This data showed Australia is a friendly nation, with no city rating lower than 90%.
Nation's capital leads the way in innovation
Canberrans were the most innovative, with more patents registered per capita than any other city – 56 patents approved for an invention per 100,000 people. They also rates the highest on most access to green space – so perhaps the fresh air and green space gets the creative juices flowing!
About Claire Madden
Claire Madden (www.clairemadden.com) is a social researcher, keynote speaker and media commentator interpreting social trends and implications of generational change. As a keynote speaker, Claire is highly regarded for her dynamic and engaging presentations where she translates robust, research-based content into strategic applications for educators, managers and business leaders. Download Claire’s speaking pack.
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